Over the last year, the cat program at Muncie Animal Care and Services has gotten a serious facelift thanks to cat coordinator Lindsey Whitesel.
Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

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Sick cats find refuge in the isolation rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter, and are only a small portion of the hundreds of cats the shelter is housing. The shelter had over 350 cats at one point, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. (Photo: Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press)Buy Photo

MUNCIE, Ind. — Over the past year, the cat program at Muncie Animal Care and Services has gotten a serious facelift.

In late 2017, cat coordinator Lindsey Whitesel knew there was trouble in Kitty City (designated rooms at the shelter where those interested in adopting a feline friend can see and play with cats). Just as many cats were coming in as were being adopted, and the adoption floor, otherwise known as Kitty City A and B, only holds 50 cats.

That left most of the cats in general intake, no matter if they were healthy, sick or part of a litter. So, Whitesel started to overhaul the cat program, which included the foster network and creating four new cat spaces.

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Sick cats find refuge in the isolation rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter, and are only a small portion of the hundreds of cats the shelter is housing. The shelter had over 350 cats at one point, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Sick cats find refuge in the isolation rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter, and are only a small portion of the hundreds of cats the shelter is housing. The shelter had over 350 cats at one point, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Sick cats find refuge in the isolation rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter, and are only a small portion of the hundreds of cats the shelter is housing. The shelter had over 350 cats at one point, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Sick cats find refuge in the isolation rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter, and are only a small portion of the hundreds of cats the shelter is housing. The shelter had over 350 cats at one point, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Lindsey Whitesel the cat coordinator with the Muncie Animal Shelter checks in on a cat that gave birth at the shelter Monday morning. The shelter had over 350 cats at one point, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Lindsey Whitesel the cat coordinator with the Muncie Animal Shelter checks in on a cat that gave birth at the shelter Monday morning. The shelter had over 350 cats at one point, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Lindsey Whitesel the cat coordinator with the Muncie Animal Shelter cleans out and moves cats in the isolation rooms Monday morning. The shelter had over 350 cats at one point, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Sick cats find refuge in the isolation rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter, and are only a small portion of the hundreds of cats the shelter is housing. The shelter had over 350 cats at one point, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Sick cats find refuge in the isolation rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter, and are only a small portion of the hundreds of cats the shelter is housing. The shelter had over 350 cats at one point, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Sick cats find refuge in the isolation rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter, and are only a small portion of the hundreds of cats the shelter is housing. The shelter had over 350 cats at one point, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Lindsey Whitesel the cat coordinator with the Muncie Animal Shelter cleans out and moves cats in the isolation rooms Monday morning. The shelter had over 350 cats at one point, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Lindsey Whitesel the cat coordinator with the Muncie Animal Shelter cleans out and moves cats in the isolation rooms Monday morning. The shelter had over 350 cats at one point, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Lindsey Whitesel the cat coordinator with the Muncie Animal Shelter cleans out and moves cats in the isolation rooms Monday morning. The shelter had over 350 cats at one point, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Dozens of cats in "Kitty City," the adoption showroom for the cats at the Muncie Animal shelter are waiting to be adopted, with many more unable to even be placed in Kitty City until they clear up more room. The shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Kitten corner is just one of the rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter that has cats ready for adoption. Due to the breeding season and several pregnant cats giving birth, the shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Kitten corner is just one of the rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter that has cats ready for adoption. Due to the breeding season and several pregnant cats giving birth, the shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Kitten corner is just one of the rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter that has cats ready for adoption. Due to the breeding season and several pregnant cats giving birth, the shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Kitten corner is just one of the rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter that has cats ready for adoption. Due to the breeding season and several pregnant cats giving birth, the shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Kitten corner is just one of the rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter that has cats ready for adoption. Due to the breeding season and several pregnant cats giving birth, the shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Kitten corner is just one of the rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter that has cats ready for adoption. Due to the breeding season and several pregnant cats giving birth, the shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Kitten corner is just one of the rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter that has cats ready for adoption. Due to the breeding season and several pregnant cats giving birth, the shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Kitten corner is just one of the rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter that has cats ready for adoption. Due to the breeding season and several pregnant cats giving birth, the shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Kitten corner is just one of the rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter that has cats ready for adoption. Due to the breeding season and several pregnant cats giving birth, the shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Kitten corner is just one of the rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter that has cats ready for adoption. Due to the breeding season and several pregnant cats giving birth, the shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Kitten corner is just one of the rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter that has cats ready for adoption. Due to the breeding season and several pregnant cats giving birth, the shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Kitten corner is just one of the rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter that has cats ready for adoption. Due to the breeding season and several pregnant cats giving birth, the shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Kitten corner is just one of the rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter that has cats ready for adoption. Due to the breeding season and several pregnant cats giving birth, the shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

Kitten corner is just one of the rooms at the Muncie Animal Shelter that has cats ready for adoption. Due to the breeding season and several pregnant cats giving birth, the shelter had over 350 cats last week, and are in desperate need for adoptions and fosters. Corey Ohlenkamp/Star Press

“When things started getting really packed, and I’m like, ‘We have the adoption floor that is for cats that are roaming,’ and I was like, ‘We need to do something with the kittens,’” said Whitesel, who has worked at the shelter for three years. “We needed something …

“So, what I did with these (the three kitten nurseries) is I cleaned them all out, got all the paint donated, all the supplies donated, including the cages,” she said. “On my free time, I came in, got all the trash out. I had to really deep clean them, painted them. It took me a little bit of time because I was the only one doing it.”

After taking over the foster program, Whitesel has been able to create a network of fosters who take cats and nurse them back to health. Then, the foster home will return the cat and take a new feline home to do the same. Currently, the shelter has 79 cats with foster families.

“People were calling and bringing them back and they were getting sick, and I was like, ‘I’ll do it … we could really utilize it more if it flowed a little bit better,’” Whitesel said.

Even Whitsel, who is 21 years old and a student at Ivy Tech, takes fosters in — when she has time. In the past year, she has fostered about 30 kittens and cats.

“I do take fosters home myself. I take home the worst of the worst, so the ones that need most in medical needs, the supportive care and stuff like that,” Whitesel said. “I’ll take those home, nurse them back to health, bring them back when they’re ready and then they’ll get adopted.”

In addition to making over the shelter’s cat spaces, Whitesel has raised more than $2,000 in the past year for the cat program at the shelter through fundraisers like Movies with Meows, kitten showers (think baby shower for kittens), $1 paw print donations and a jewelry party. Those funds, she said, primarily went to creating the kitten nurseries and whatever was left over went to medical needs and supplies for the cats.